


The Past, a Future, but Reality

by artisticFlutter



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Community: badbadbathhouse, F/M, Gen, Multi, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Prompt Fill, Social Links
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 23:17:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18926989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artisticFlutter/pseuds/artisticFlutter
Summary: Her name was Yui Sato.In Middle School, she asked a boy to repair her bag which resulted in him being bullied. Now a second-year in Yasogami High, she meets him again, and things have changed. (Prompt Fill for: Badbadbathhouse)





	The Past, a Future, but Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Golden was developed by Atlus. Please support the official release.
> 
> Beta Reader(s): [PocketNoivern](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PocketNoivern/profile) and Ami (handle)

Her name was Yui Sato.

 

She wasn’t a transfer from the big city or anything like that.

 

She had been born in Inaba, but due to an incident during middle school, her parents decided she needed to go to another school near Okina City. That incident  hadn’t been so bad for her – her reputation had remained intact - but what followed besides a week of teasing for her had them terrified.

 

As for the catalyst of her transfer, Kanji Tatsumi wasn’t someone she expected to encounter so soon after transferring to Yasogami High for her second year.

 

He was sitting at the head of the Home Economics Club, two long knitting needles in each hand, the attentive members present holding their own as he taught them how to knit some very cute dolls. Hovering by the door, the memory of their class cornering him, pointing at him, mocking him after fixing her bag flashed through her mind. She had sobbed over her repaired bag; meanwhile, he struck a boy with a chair, and that was that. Last she recalled from the news, he’d bleached his hair and was apparently fighting biker gangs, but he looked like how he did those years ago in middle school when she talked to him for the first and last time.

 

Or, was he the same?

 

It was evident he had grown both physically and mentally. She couldn’t imagine him leading Home Economics if he was the same boy in the past and she almost envied his increased confidence, something she presently lacked. She felt her cheeks burn as she took him in during a second pass; shoulder width, muscle mass, and height. She heard he wasn’t on any of the sports teams, but how was that possible? He was still only at his family’s textile shop, right?

 

With the other students soon occupied with their crafts, he finally looked her way, making her jump.

 

Did he possibly remember her?

 

Yui knew she barely changed besides gaining some height. She kept her hair short and hadn’t done anything to drastically alter her overall appearance, but he probably tried to forget what happened back then. Still, she did notice his eyes widen.

 

“Hey… Sato, right?”

 

“Uh, yes. H-Hello, Tatsumi-kun.”

 

Standing up and approaching her, her eyes growing when he stopped to tower above her. Hopefully she wasn’t gaping, but she definitely couldn’t help her blush, especially when he smiled.

 

“Nice to see you again. Yer joinin’ us?”

 

Her heart thumped.

 

Their conversation from there was so casual; he seemed so at ease and she couldn’t take her eyes away. None of the others seemed to care, but maybe because he focused on going over all the club details – the same ones she heard while in the faculty office – instead of speaking about anything personal. Still, hearing him talk, she felt her heart beat faster.

 

This really was the same boy from middle school, right?

 

She almost couldn’t be sure even if he had answered to ‘Tatsumi-kun’.

 

Yui didn’t participate that day, but she stayed after the other members were dismissed in order to approach him, asking if they could go to Aiya and catch up. It was strange, but she couldn’t help herself – she wanted to talk to him, she wanted to have more of his time and, she thought, even more than that. She managed to ask only about Aiya’s when the door opened and she whipped her head around with his.

 

There was a chill – goodness, she had almost been caught doing something so embarrassing.

 

Standing in the doorway, Naoto Shirogane and Rise Kujikawa were also second years, but neither girl was in her class. Despite that, it was impossible to  _ not _ know them on campus. She felt under the astute steely eye observation of the famous Detective Prince while with the comeback idol Risette, she couldn’t say what that look was. They weren’t in Home Economics so Yui wondered what they were doing at the room.

 

“Ah, sup?”

 

She blinked.

 

Kanji greeted them so casually.

 

“Kanji…!” The idol puffed her cheeks. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to keep a girl waiting??”

 

“Do you require assistance cleaning up?” The detective asked, and Yui tilted her head. They were speaking equally so calm – and playfully – to Kanji. So, she had to shortly assume they were friends?

 

Wow, he had made friends…?

 

“Nah, I got it. Hey, you guys don’t mind if I hit Aiya’s with Sato, do you?”

 

A flicker of confusion ended with Yui nearly taking a step back when Naoto and Rise looked her way again, the detective’s gaze hardening while a glint of recognition crossed Rise’s face. The latter smiled – or seemed to smile, Yui considered it a smile.

 

“Sure! Just try to save some room; you know how your mom gets~”

 

“I know! I’ll just have one bowl!”

 

A giggle following that remark, Yui blinked and watched Rise hook her arm with Naoto’s, dragging the other girl away without a fuss.

 

She didn’t understand; what just happened?

 

Either way, she was given the opportunity to go with Kanji out to Aiya’s where she at least accomplished one of her goals upon seeing him again. Together they ate, reminiscing about what happened then and up until they met today; she apologized while he insisted there was nothing for her to apologize  _ for _ . It was wonderful and he sounded so happy. She also blushed when the owner said they looked cute together, startled when some of that old Kanji did come out through some yelling.

 

Being with him felt so right, and his being so carefree but still so strong…

 

Yui really did want to ask him out, she was positive.

 

For the next several weeks since that day though, she found it difficult to get any free time with him. She didn’t have the courage to ask him during Home Economics, and it seemed like every time he might be free, he was always with Naoto, Rise, or both of them. At first, she wondered if they had been doing it on purpose, but considering Kanji always went to meet them instead of the other way around, that had to be wrong. They were together coming to school, eating lunch, and leaving after Clubs ended, but again, she chalked it up to their homes being in the same direction and sharing the same homeroom. They were all friends; she understood people wanting to be around friends.

 

… But she wanted to tell him everything.

 

Maybe luck was shining down on her today. She hadn’t seen Naoto or Rise at school – someone mentioned work came up for both of them, so this was her chance!

 

“T-Tatsumi-kun!”

 

She asked to speak with him after school, on the roof so no one would overhear them, and her heart pounded when he agreed.

 

Finally…  _ finally _ ! She would be able to tell him! Was it too far to say she could already see them together through the rest of high school? He’d try going to a university, right? She wondered if her parents would approve after they saw how much he changed. They could have everything together!

 

Hands clasped together, she squeaked, “I like you! Please go out with me?!”

 

She watched his eyes pop and his stance shift while she waited anxiously for an answer, hoping that her eyes weren’t giving her away. He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. Maybe he was working up the courage too; maybe he had similar thoughts. It would be a sign if he did – maybe of their wedding?

 

“Sato… uh… y’know,” he started, lowering his arms. “If you asked that earlier, I prolly woulda said ‘Hell yeah!’, b-but… way back in middle school.”

 

“… What?” She felt her mouth drop open a little.

 

“Back in middle school… after talkin’ ‘bout what happened so many times, I figured I’d helped ya cuz I liked ya then,” he replied, his eyes to the ground. “But, that was then. Right now, I’m already in a relationship. Can’t say I wanna end it either… Sorry.”

 

“… Oh.”

 

He was… dating?

 

Yui felt her eyes sting. “O-Oh… I didn’t know that.”

 

“M’sorry. W-We’re not really big on jus’ announcin’ that we are…” Kanji looked up at her and she tried to keep down her tears. “They even mentioned you might’ve  liked me, but… Ah, I wasn’t really the one who came out and asked them out either. And since I didn’t wanna make things weird, I didn’t know how to ask ya about it – nah, I didn’t think it was a good idea, but I should’ve been direct and honest.”

 

“H-Hm? Oh… no, no! I… I understand how it could’ve been weird to just… bring it up.” Just as awkward as confessing to him right now was. It could be worse though; he was letting her down gently. She was glad he never lost that kind heart. Wiping her eyes, she nodded and bowed her head. “Thank you for telling me.”

 

“Are you gonna be okay?”

 

“M-Mmm… yeah, I’ll be fine.”

 

His mouth opened to say more, but they both heard a ringtone chirp. He froze, reached into his pocket, and took his phone out. “… I gotta run. Will I still see you in Home Ec?”

 

Unable to try speaking more, Yui nodded hurriedly. That made Kanji pause; she thought he might stay – she might’ve liked it if he did – but she also needed her space so she shook her head.

 

“See you tomorrow, Tatsumi-kun.”

 

It took several more seconds before he left and she approached the roof fence. She fought to dry her eyes, but had realized she’d been getting her hopes up; it had been presumptuous of her. Even if he hadn’t been dating someone, that didn’t mean he would’ve said yes. And again, the fact that he was dating, it was something she couldn’t have envisioned before. The past and present Kanji clashed within her mind – which one had she really been trying to reach out to just moments ago?

 

Blinking, she spotted Kanji walking towards the school gates and there, she noticed Naoto and Rise were waiting. What Yui saw next had her eyes bulge, further affirming she  _ really _ did not know Kanji anymore. From the back, she could tell Kanji was kissing Naoto… but then he was kissing Rise. He then took both of their hands and walked between them, Naoto leaning against his left arm and Rise hopped with each step on the right.

 

Her name was Yui Sato.

 

And she thinks… she had a lot to think about.

**Author's Note:**

> Goodness I'm getting up in age. I had a good ol' walk down memory lane in the forgotten site of LJ and the Persona 4 Kink community "Badbadbathhouse". From there, I went through _all_ the pages and found a prompt. The girl in Kanji's past never actually gets a name so I asked for some help coming up with it. 
> 
> Originally, the plan was to have Naoto and Rise the observers as she tries to ask Kanji out/make him her boyfriend, but it didn't work out well so I switched perspectives. Besides, Naoto and Rise wouldn't stop Kanji from doing what he wants to do. They did notice she had a crush of course, but they'd make an attempt if Kanji brought her into the relationship... Whether Yui would've been up for a polyamorous relationship or not is a different story. Still, as it ended, he's come to terms with his past and he's currently happy with who he's with.
> 
> Anyway, please leave kudos, comments, and subscribe! See you in the next story!


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